Contents

Tarpals's family had a long history of military service, with each son serving in the Gungan Grand Army. Roos Tarpals was the first of his family to merit the rank of captain. He was elevated to hero status in the eyes of his clan for this achievement.

Before his enlistment in the army, Tarpals was originally the leader of a small band of thieves. It was here that he first encountered Jar Jar Binks. Tarpals used Jar Jar as a distraction for guards and security while he pulled off various heists. The two Gungans became friends. However, it was the captain's duty to enforce Jar Jar's banishment after he was exiled for destroying BossRugor Nass's prized heyblibber.

The arrest of his friend didn't go smoothly, as Binks had angered former GeneralBrass Marshoo. Marshoo knocked Tarpals unconscious to get at Jar Jar, who managed to fend him off. He woke Tarpals, who tied up Marshoo and proceeded with the task of arresting and exiling Binks.

He never saw Jar Jar Binks again until 32 BBY, during the Naboo Crisis, when the latter broke his sentence of exile by returning to Otoh Gunga. He halted Jar Jar, and then reprimanded his former friend by pointing out that he made a "big doo-doo" this time by not only illegally returning to Otoh Gunga, but also bringing outsiders (Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn) into the city, and likewise had all three arrested and brought before Boss Nass.

After helping the citizens of Dac, Tarpals was present in the High Tower Boardroom where Boss Lyonie ordered his people to turn against the Naboo and serve the Confederacy of Independent Systems. In reality, Lyonie was under the influence of a necklace that had been bewitched by his advisor, Rish Loo, a practitioner of dark Gungan magic and secret ally of Count Dooku. Rish Loo's treachery was ultimately exposed when Anakin Skywalker and Senator Amidala, former queen of Naboo, came to Otoh Gunga to negotiate with Lyonie. Rish Loo managed to escape but not before severely injuring Lyonie and leaving him incapacitated. Due to his strong physical resemblance to Lyonie, Jar Jar Binks posed as the Gungan leader in order to bring an end to the uprising against the Naboo. However, Separatist forces had already begun to land on the planet's surface and awaited Gungan support.

Tarpals sacrifices his life to incapacitate General Grievous.

Tarpals accompanied Jar Jar, who continued to pose as Lyonie, to his meeting with the leader of the Separatist invasion force: General Grievous. Knowing Grievous' high standing in the war, Jar Jar signaled Tarpals to contact Amidala immediately. Together, Tarpals and the former Senator hatched a plan to deactivate the Separatist battle droids and capture Grievous alive. While Jar Jar stalled Grievous, Tarpals and his militiagungs successfully shut down the battle droids and prepared to ambush the Separatist general. Grievous, however, caught wind of the Gungans' plan and confronted Tarpals and his troops. Tarpals fought head-to-head against the cyborg general, but Grievous proved too fast for the aged Gungan and mortally wounded him. In one last heroic act, Tarpals impaled Grievous' armor with his spear. Jar Jar and the militiagungs quickly subdued Grievous with a barrage of boomas and successfully captured him, thanks to Tarpals' heroic sacrifice. His friends then turned to aid him, but he had passed while they had dealt with the cyborg general. Amidala, Jar Jar, and his fellow Gungans mourned the loss of their friend.

Even though he died to capture the General, his sacrifice was tarnished when the Republic had to make a prisoner swap with the Separatists: Anakin for Grievous. He was avenged by Obi Wan Kenobi when he finally kills Grievous on Utapau.

Tarpals had great sense of duty and honor and was willing to give his life for his people. He had a strong belief in the ideal of cooperation and friendship between Gungans and the Naboo People. He was also a skilled warrior, able to face General Grievous for a few moments before sacrificing himself.